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Jimmy Williams
U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced bipartisan demands for her resignation following a high-profile security failure that allowed an attempted assassination on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Despite intense questioning from lawmakers and growing pressure to step down, Cheatle maintained her stance, insisting she is the best person to lead the agency through this crisis.
In a rare display of unity, the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee’s Republican Chair, James Comer, and top Democrat, Jamie Raskin, both called for Cheatle to resign. Comer, addressing Cheatle, stated, “This committee is not known for its model of bipartisanship, and I think today we came together unanimously in our disappointment. We don’t have that confidence that you can lead.” Raskin echoed this sentiment, saying, “Cheatle has lost the confidence of Congress at a very urgent and tender moment in the history of the country, and we very quickly need to move beyond this.”
During the more than 4-1/2 hours of contentious proceedings, Cheatle described the July 13 shooting at an outdoor campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, as “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” likening it to the 1981 attempted assassination of former President Ronald Reagan. Trump was wounded in the ear, one rally attendee was killed, and another was injured. The suspected shooter, 20-year-old nursing home aide Thomas Crooks, was killed by law enforcement. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
Cheatle, however, repeatedly declined calls to step down, asserting, “I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time.”
Monday’s hearing marked the first round of congressional oversight of the attempted assassination. FBI Director Christopher Wray is set to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, and House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to announce a bipartisan task force to coordinate House investigations.
Cheatle faced criticism from Republicans who accused the Secret Service of denying resources to protect Trump. In response, she stated that security for the former president had increased ahead of the shooting: “The level of security provided for the former president increased well before the campaign and has been steadily increasing as threats evolve.” She also mentioned that the Secret Service had provided the requested security for the rally.
Despite her assertions, Cheatle repeatedly refused to answer specific questions about the security perimeter, potential threats, and the suspect’s suspicious behavior, citing ongoing investigations. This stance frustrated lawmakers, including Republican Representative Pete Sessions, who implored, “Tell us what went wrong. Tell us, and don’t try and play a shell game with us.”
Cheatle noted that an internal probe is expected to be completed within 60 days, but lawmakers of both parties rejected this timeline. Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the urgency, stating, “The notion of a report coming out in 60 days when the threat environment is so high in the United States, irrespective of party is not acceptable.”
